Sworn to the Saber
by punkfinn
Summary: In the aftermath of the Jedi Purge, Anakin Skywalker wasn't the only one who fell to the Dark Side. One of the survivors, having now abandoned the teachings of the Jedi, intends on making sure the Order never rises again from its ashes. At the other end of the galaxy, Ahsoka Tano gets entangled in a conflict that has long been left unresolved. Barriss/Ahsoka
1. A New Ally

''You have a visitor,'' one of the Crimson Guards announced in a monotone voice.

For the first time in what seemed like days, Barriss detached her gaze from the ceiling and blinked, surprised. In fifteen years of imprisonment, no one had ever bothered to pay her a visit and on the rare occasion that she left her cell she was not permitted to see anyone, though she wondered who she would talk to, if not the ghosts that haunted her day and night. Ghosts do not talk, she always whispered before going to bed, cursing the war under her breath as she fell asleep in the middle of the night, straight as a needle in her cot.

All her friends were dead, having been slaughtered by the clones. Or at least, that's what they told her. She didn't care, because part of her thought that even if they'd lived, they wouldn't have come to see her after what she'd done. Can I blame them?

''Who could possibly...''

She didn't have the time to finish her sentence: the door slid open to reveal a tall figure with a black mask and a matching cape draped across his broad shoulders. The stranger told the guard to leave them alone and without further warning he advanced towards Barriss' cot in a stride, as if he was above space and time laws. His black mask glistened under the neon lights of her cell. The next time she opened her eyes, it had turned completely black as he had taken a step backwards, becoming one with the shadows on the wall, the only indicator of his presence being the buttons on his chest.

The man - Barriss knew it was a man - reeked of power. Pure, undiluted power. She would have given anything to possess that power once. But now that she was facing it she wasn't sure she still yearned for it. Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Those lines had been etched in her mind for fifteen years, and she had repeated them so many times that the words didn't seem to bear any meaning anymore.

She had lost her passion the night her friends had died and since then her strength had been subdued, kept under control by the strong walls she had put up to shield her dormant rage. Only now were the walls beginning to tremble, having awakened for the first time in his presence. She sensed a challenge.

''I can feel it, Master. It is the will of the Force,'' she whispered, trying not to think about the disappointment she knew her old Master would feel at the prospect of her siding with the enemy, for it was clear that he was on the Dark Side. He would have been a deceitful foe, once. But perhaps now he could be a powerful ally.

She knew the man could read her thoughts, but she didn't care. She hadn't seen anything worthwhile in a decade and was yearning for some kind of action - anything that could distract her from her morbid thoughts.

She was cuddled up in the corner of the cot, hugging her knees. Before he came closer, he aligned his dark orbs with her blue eyes and closed the door with a swoop of his hand. It slid shut with a hiss and he turned his attention back to her.

''Good evening, Barriss,'' he said in a contorted voice. ''I was wondering what you'd become after all those years,'' he went on, his sentence punctuated by heavy breathing.

''I don't know who you are,'' she said with a hint of pretend fear in her voice. Let him think I'm scared. Let him think I'm unworthy.

The Force was unusually strong with him, that much she knew. That meant trouble. Which also meant that whatever this man wanted, she was in.

''I was afraid you'd say that,'' he replied. If she had been able to see his face, she was certain he would be smiling. ''I take it you haven't heard the good news then,'' he continued, his smile turning in a devilish smirk. ''Anakin Skywalker turned to the Dark Side.''

She gasped, genuinely taken aback. ''That's impossible. Master Skywalker would never...'' she trailed off, but he interrupted her.

''My padawan thought the same about you, young one. And yet... here you stand. Alive and well, while the friends you betrayed are all dead.''

No matter how much she tried to contain her rage, the wall she had spent years to build collapsed at once as he uttered those words, each one a slap in her face.

''How dare you,'' she screamed, rising up as she prepared herself to strike. She didn't have any weapons, but she didn't need them, for the Force was with her. This stranger would be a welcome distraction after all those years with nobody but her shadow to spar with. ''You know nothing about me, Sith.''

She attempted to push him away with the Force to get him out of her way, but once he sensed her intentions, he raised his right hand, levitating her body with the Force like she was nothing but a mere puppet. Suddenly, he was closing in on air, strangling her with the Force. She could do nothing but writhe in pain before him, her hands instinctively reaching for her throat. So this is how I die, she thought, Force-choked by a Sith Lord in my own prison cell. His grip was tightening around her throat and she felt her head become numb with the pressure.

''You don't have what it takes to beat me. It would be pointless to try,'' he said, releasing her. Just like that, she fell on the floor, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. When she looked up at him, he extended his hand for her to take and helped her up.

''I didn't come here to fight,'' he said.

''You never told me why you really came here,'' she countered.

''Ah... yes. All in good time, young one,'' he responded cryptically. ''Now the only thing you need to know is that I mean you no harm.''

She didn't believe him, but didn't voice her thoughts for fear of awakening his anger. Anakin Skywalker was known for his quick temper, after all, she mused internally.

''I have something for you,'' he said after a pause. He detached something from his belt and held up it before Barriss, urging her to take it.

''A lightsaber,'' she pointed out unnecessarily. She took the weapon in her hand and studied it before tucking it under her cloak. One of Ventress' twin sabers.

''Don't use it just now or you will alert the guards'' he warned her. She nodded. ''You will need it if you want to escape.''

She imagined he would have winked if he could.

''Meet me up at Jabba's Palace in two weeks time. And don't be late or I will assume you have failed.''

With that he turned around and got out the door just as the guard was returning to his duty.

So the rumors are true then, Barriss thought. Anakin Skywalker is no more and Darth Vader has supplanted him. She chuckled. Who would have thought I'd live to see the day of Master Skywalker's demise?

Interesting as this new piece of information was to her, Barriss still had doubts over the man's intentions and was hesitant to trust him despite the fact that her instinct told her to do so and her instinct was rarely - if ever - wrong.

Over time the doubts grew stronger and prompted a series of questions related to the role he played in the Order's downfall, with answers each one more far-fetched than the other. Only one question remained worth investigating in the end: Was he the one who had orchestrated Order 66 from the start? Or was he simply a pawn in some mastermind's game, a mere puppet controlled by a master - much like she'd been once?

There were so many things to process all at once that Barriss gave up trying to answer them after she came to the conclusion that she'd have to extract more information from him before attempting to solve an incomplete puzzle. In order to do so, she would have to follow his plan to meet up with him, accept his request and hopefully not get caught in the process. Let's hope this is not a trap, she thought before falling asleep.


	2. A Quick Escape

It was too much at once. The visions were tormenting Barriss once again, resurfacing when she least expected it. It had been such a long time since she didn't experience one of her breakdowns that the feeling took her by surprise. She'd felt it creep up in the back of her mind all day as she was berating the death of her fellow Jedi, waiting for her to let her guard down. I won't let them get to me. They can't hurt me. They're dead. Fifteen years behind bars hadn't erased the deep connections she had formed with them despite herself and now that their spirits were visiting her beyond the grave, she felt guilty for trying to send them away and lock them up in a corner of her mind for good. Especially Ahsoka's, the one she had most cherished among the Order. Her old Master came close after, but Ahsoka was on another level entirely. Her mere existence had been a benediction to Barriss on quite a lot of occasions and she found that despite the terrible mistake she'd committed in betraying her, a mistake which led her where she was now and destroyed all her hopes to ever become a Jedi master, a dream she had entertained since she learned about the Order, she didn't resent her for that anymore. It was all in the past and Barriss was ready to move on and begin anew. Eventually, she would like to regain Ahsoka's trust. For that she was ready to do anything, even if it meant having to sacrifice herself and her honor in exchange for her recognition. I don't care if she's dead. I don't care if she can't hear me. I just want her to know that I still love her and that... I'm sorry.

Her girlfriend's corpse lay at her feet, her chest pierced by a laser blow. Her tunic was still scorching hot from the impact, a wisp of smoke still visible in the cold air but slowly dissipating in the shadows, and blood was pooling underneath her. Her eyes were wide open, fixing the ceiling and her skin appeared to be paler than usual, her veins made hyper-visible by its translucence. Even in death, she was a sight to behold, Barriss thought.

Unable to stay indifferent any longer, she let out a blood-curdling scream she hadn't known she'd been holding and let herself cry until all her tears had been emptied out and she could do nothing but let out a deep, hollow laugh. What have they done to you, my Soka? How could he let it happen, that vile creature you once called Master?

''How dare you take her away from me?'' she screeched at the top of her lungs, her cot snapping against the wall as she tore it off from it. She could feel the power radiating off her, the Force awakening in her at last and completely subjugating her, possessing her, stripping her of her will. The only thing that mattered was getting back at him.

Her last thoughts before passing out were of plans of revenge against the man who had hurt her friend so deeply.

XxX

Barriss waited until the Guards were asleep to activate the lightsaber the man had given her. At last, she thought. The sudden burst of energy made by the blade was akin to the one she was experiencing as she held the artifact - for such it was - in her hands, closing her eyes to let the Force flow in.

For the first time in ages she felt truly free, the wall she had built collapsing around her brick by brick as she executed a few movements to test the blade. It was perfectly balanced for her and suited her preferred form as well. It was just like she remembered it. Too bad I don't have the other one, she thought bitterly.

With that she turned around and stuck the lightsaber up the blast door, tracing a vertical line with it to melt it down. Just as she was about to deactivate the door's shield, she remembered what the man had told her before vanishing in the dark alleys of the prison.

''From the moment you break out of this cell, you will have exactly ten minutes to get out of the facility before they activate the shields.''

She pierced the shield generator with her saber and went up the corridor with as much stealth as she could muster in these circumstances. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest, fueled by the adrenaline release she had triggered as she'd set foot out of her cell. Her hands were sweaty and shaky and her thoughts were all over the place, keeping her from staying focused. Only one thing remained clear, and canceled out everything else: victory was near. She could sense it. Both in the Force and in her...

Gut? She didn't see them coming. As soon as she turned the corner, she found herself stranded by half a dozen battle droids. One of them had pointed its blaster to her stomach, alerting its superiors as it babbled on about its catch on its comm-link. ''We found her. She's still alive. Should we try to-''

With a wheezing sound, the droid was rendered completely useless. As she retrieved her lightsaber, Barriss Force-pushed the remaining battle droids against a wall and with a crushing sound their heads were all dislocated.

Before making her escape through the ventilation circuit that she'd conveniently cut open one week before, she kicked one's head as it attempted to shoot her and deflected the blasterfire that what she assumed was the back-up batch directed at her, effectively killing two out of the four of them.

Not bad, she congratulated herself.

''Shoot to kill,'' she heard one of them say as she sealed the ventilation circuit shut.

''Just as I predicted, they're coming after me. Great,'' she mumbled to herself.

She had managed to make it out of the ventilation circuit alive, which was an accomplishment in itself, but the worst was yet to come. The worst came in the form of three Crimson Guards armed with double-bladed lightsabers the same blood red as their cape.

One of them lunged forward at her as she landed gracefully on her feet before them and the other two stood nearby, positioning themselves around her like predators hunting their prey. After an awkward pause during which the three guards exchanged glances, the one who'd first stepped forward engaged her. She parried the attack easily and retaliated with a crushing blow to the chest, which he barely managed to dodge.

Their blades came into contact as Barriss charged once again, this time aiming for the head. Mercy is for the weak.

All of a sudden she decided to go for the sides, using every tactic she knew to distract him. She had always incorporated acrobatic movements to her form whenever she dueled someone and now that her life depended on her victory against some of the best trained Force-users in the galaxy, she didn't hold back and let herself be carried away by the will of the Force.

She didn't know why, but it told her to deactivate her weapon and just like that she obeyed, knowing that it would pay off. As soon as she saw the opportunity, she leaped across the room and as she passed one of the guards, she activated her lightsaber and planted it in his skull as easily as if it'd been made of butter. One down, two to go.

The second one revealed himself to be more of a challenge, striking at the most inopportune moments just as if he'd anticipated each one of her movements before she even thought of executing them. Thankfully they seemed to have reached an agreement that prevented them from attacking her at the same time, which allowed Barriss a little more leverage. Stay focused. You're almost there.

Gathering all her strength, she Force-pushed her opponent against a wall and turned around to take on the other one, more slender and agile than the other two. She kicked her in the gut, taking the guard by surprise. Barriss closed her eyes for a moment, letting the Force guide her.

The guard didn't stay stunned for long, since as soon as Barriss opened her eyes she was ready to fight, twirling her saber-staff effortlessly as she advanced towards her. Show-off.

She struck first, aiming for her chest. Just as the blade came into contact with Barriss' shoulder, she raised her other hand and began choking her. Barriss squirmed under her Force-grip as hot tears streamed down her face. The wound hurt so much that for a second she thought she had lost her limb. Alas it was not so, but the intensity of the blow had made her drop her lightsaber on the duracrete floor inadvertently.

As the woman tightened her grip around her throat, she heard the other guard get up and activate his lightsaber behind her, waiting for the woman's signal to off her. This time I die.

Just as she was about to give up and let her enemy crush her throat, a voice echoed in the back of her head, telling her to go on and be strong. Ahsoka. Is that really...you?

She kicked the woman in the face with all the strength she had left, picking up her lighsaber as the man prepared himself to attack her. As soon as she'd regained her weapon, he slashed at her and with more difficulty this time, Barriss parried the blow. The wound in her shoulder was painful and prevented her from getting back at him: she was forced to assume a defensive stance, protecting her shoulder from further damage.

Acting on a sudden impulse, she broke her stance and whirled around to distract her opponent, lunging at him from behind and sticking her weapon in his gut just as he was turning around to meet her with his blade. Now I escape.


	3. The Other End of the Deal

From a corner in the dark a Zabrak male emerged, dropping his cape to the ground in a theatrical fashion. He had finally returned from his mission after months of searching every inch of the galaxy in vain for the boy his Master had commanded him to seek. Why couldn't I have found the brat sooner? he thought as he stretched his sore limbs, his cracking joints breaking the uncomfortable silence impregnating the room.

He had not failed him this time, having brought the boy with him on the Star Destroyer. He'd never been so far into the Outer Rim territories before and vowed to never set foot on the boy's planet again, having had his fair share of sand for the rest of his life. He was older than he wanted to admit and the twin suns of Tatooine could be hard on any outsider, especially one who'd been raised on Dathomir and who had never been exposed to such arid conditions before.

He was exhausted, but there was still one thing he needed to accomplish before he could rest. Now that he had found and delivered the boy, he must get rid of his father, for such was the agreement. A small price to pay considering the circumstances, Maul observed.

His gaze shifted to a tall caped figure that was standing before the starship's viewport, seemingly lost in contemplation of the stars. For as long as the man kept that position, Maul kept his eyes fixed upon him, waiting for his prey to take the bait. After an hour - or so he calculated -, Maul began to lose his patience and took out his lightsaber. Unsurprisingly, the caped man only turned around when the Zabrak ignited his weapon, greeting him with a mock-bow. If it were possible, Maul was certain that the man would be snickering just then, delighted by the unexpected turn of events.

''Long time no see,'' the Zabrak intoned. ''You've grown much taller since the last time I saw you, Lord Vader.''

''I do not recall meeting you before,'' Vader responded with a hint of disgust in his voice.

''You were someone else then,'' he said. ''A slave, I was told.''

There was a long pause before Vader finally answered, raising his blade before him in an offensive manner. No doubt the word had brought back some awful memories, Maul supposed.

''That boy is long gone. As you soon will be,'' he all but whispered.

Maul had to read the last words on his lips. ''We'll see about that,'' Maul replied with a toothy smile.

Vader didn't waste his time; as soon as Maul was finished speaking, he threw his saber across the room towards Maul in a sudden burst of rage. The Zabrak barely managed to dodge the weapon the first time around and then, on its way back to its owner, it seared his left arm and made him drop his weapon. Not bad, he commented internally. I like his style. Luckily, the Zabrak was ambidextrous and he was able to pick up his lightsaber in time for parrying Vader's next attack. Seconds later, Maul dived in and struck Vader's shoulder, taking off a piece of his cape. It seemed to make him angry, judging by the grunt he made, and Maul congratulated himself at finally eliciting some kind of response from him. We're getting there, he told himself. Vader took him by surprise when he whirled around, ducked Maul's attack and lunged forward at him, releasing his weapon from his grip for the second time. A moment later and his lightsaber was an inch from the Zabrak's face, standing in mid-air as if held by an invisible hand. Maul couldn't help himself: he let out a deep, hollow laugh as he took the saber - Vader's saber - between his calloused hands. Vader, as expected, levitated Maul's own lightsaber with the Force, but before he could grab hold of it, Maul cut his arms with the blade. The prosthetic limbs dropped unceremoniously to the floor, emitting a dull sound as they hit the ground, which was closely followed by Vader's strident cry of agony. The Sith dropped to his knees, defeated.

''If you want to live, '' Maul said, ''you'll have to get out of here quick.'' He helped the man up and pointed towards the exit. ''And don't bother coming back.''

Once Vader was out of his sight, Maul went back to the brat's room and knocked on the door twice. When he was greeted with no response, he forced the door open and entered. The boy was fast asleep in his cot, snoring slightly. His blonde hair was disheveled and he sported a sunburn on his brow, a reminder of his upbringing. He clutched the blankets very tightly around himself, shivering as the door slid shut, a stream of air rushing into the room and between his cushions. He looked so peaceful in his sleep that Maul almost hesitated to wake him up, but his Master had been clear: once Vader had been dealt with, the boy was to be brought to him right away. He shook him gently and waited for him to open his eyes. Within seconds, the boy was yawning and sitting up straight, hitting his head on the bed frame as he was stretching out.

''Ouch,'' he quipped. ''Where... where am I?'' he asked as he looked around the room confusedly, his gaze lingering on the Zabrak.

''You're on board the Devastator,'' Maul responded, purposely withholding the details of its affiliations. The last thing he needed was for the boy to panic. Just as he was about to ask another question, Maul cut him.

''Listen carefully, boy. If you want to live, you're going to have to do everything I say, even when what I tell you to do is contrary to your beliefs. Understood?''

''Y-Yes, sir,'' he said.

''There's no need to call me sir,'' he replied with a wink. ''The name's Maul. Follow me,'' he said as gestured towards the door.

The near-human turned towards his Master and cleared his throat, awkwardly gesturing at the boy who stood - or rather, cowered - behind him, blue eyes fixed on the ground. The hooded man nodded and urged them to come forward. ''Luke...Skywalker,'' he said, and Luke knew that his pause was deliberate. Calculated. Like everything else.

''How delighted I am that you joined us today.'' You don't seem delighted at all, Luke wanted to respond, but he bit his tongue. He knew this man wouldn't tolerate insubordination, or anything that would compromise his absolute reign of power for that matter, so he barely managed to crack a smile to alleviate the tension building up between the three of them. The Zabrak seemed as uncomfortable as he was but unlike him he didn't make the effort to hide it, hopping from one foot to another in anticipation. What is he anticipating exactly?, Luke wondered.

''Do you know why you have been brought here, my boy?'' the man said, failing to contain his grunt of contentment as he stood up before Luke, extending his hands as if he wanted to embrace him. Luke instinctively took a step backwards. The hooded man didn't give him the time to ponder the question and immediately answered: ''You will become my new heir.''


	4. Fateful Encounters

As soon as she'd left Coruscant, Barriss had discarded her rags for a new ensemble: matching dark brown robes that made her think of her old Master and a black cape, dark as the night and as deep as her sorrows.

Back in the prison, she'd been stripped of all her possessions, including her Jedi robes, and had been forced to wear the same tunic for all her years of imprisonment. She was glad to don something else for a change and took pride in the fact that she'd sewed up the robes all by herself.

Ventress's saber was hung on her belt next to her blaster pistol, hidden by her cape, its pressure on her thigh a reassurance that she was not alone. The crystal is the heart of the blade. The heart is the crystal of the Jedi. The Jedi is the crystal of the Force. The Force is the blade of the heart. All are intertwined. The crystal, the blade, the Jedi. You are one. Her Master had recited that code when she'd made her lightsaber and only now did Barriss truly grasp the meaning behind her words. Her lightsaber was not only an extension of her limbs, but a part of her. In acquiring the weapon once again she had won back a piece of her that was long gone. Unbeknownst to her, it had also awakened her dormant desire for vengeance.

She rode into a desert that extended as far as the eye could see on a stolen speeder, her untied hair flying free in the Tatooine wind. The caress of the breeze was so tender and welcoming to her touch-starved skin that she let herself explore the area all the afternoon. There wasn't much to see out there except for junk piles riddled with broken pieces of outdated droids and abandoned moisture farming facilities, but Barriss didn't mind: she was free and nothing in the world would get her down now.

For the first time in years she felt the suns' rays on her skin. Tiny drops of sweat dripped from her brow down to her cheeks as the twin suns grew closer to their zenith, the increasing humidity clogging up her pores. I feel so...alive. Nothing else mattered to her now except for the blowing wind that swept the sand under her as she roamed the roads of Mos Espa and the grumble of the speeder's engine.

Her connection to the Force was stronger than ever, her senses heightened to an astounding level; she could feel the pulse of the snakes, the heartbeat of the womp rats hiding in their burrows and the living Force of the tiniest insects buzzing about. The intensity of it almost overwhelmed her, blurring her other senses to the point where she had difficulty seeing where she was going. Still, she told herself to keep going - and she did just that, up until she realized she was going around in circles. She was certain she'd been in the exact spot before - and not just once. It must have been the fourth time she passed by that canyon on her left and yet... she could tell something was different. She swore she hadn't seen that golden piece of junk lying down at the bottom of the sand dunes.

Intrigued, she got off her speeder and ran in its direction. The sun reflecting on its golden encasing blinded her for a second and she tripped on the piece of junk's... leg? As she reopened her eyes, it spoke to her in an overenthusiastic voice:

''My name is C-3PO, human-cyborg relations.''

''You're...alive,'' she exclaimed as the droid tried to straighten himself up, but failed. ''I thought you were a piece of junk,'' she added under her breath.

''I heard that,'' he said nonchalantly, sand pouring out of his mouth as he spoke.

''So...How come a droid like you got stuck in a sand pile like that?'' she asked, helping him up to a sitting position.

''It's a long story. R2 and I were strolling about the marketplace when-''

R2... That name sounds familiar. I wonder if it could be...

''Wait a second. When you say R2, do you mean R2-D2, as in Master Skywalker's astromech droid?''

''I do not know of this Master Skywalker you are speaking of, but I am definitely talking about this obtrusive scrap pile of a droid. He has got a tendency to get himself into trouble, that little brat. This time he was stolen by some merchants.''

Suddenly an idea came to her. If she were able to retrieve the astromech droid, she could extract some valuable information from its database assuming it had not been erased like Threepio's.

''I'm going to help you get your friend back, Threepio. You can count on me.''

Ahsoka had introduced her to the R2 unit once, when they had been goofing around in her Master's ship after a particularly exhausting mission. She looked back on those memories very fondly and wished she could have gone back to those times, where the only thing that mattered to her were Ahsoka's happiness and her imminent knighthood.

 _''There's something I want to show you,'' Ahsoka whispered in Barriss' ear, making her blush at the contact of her lips on her bare skin. She took her by the hand and covered her eyes with Barriss' other one, guiding her towards her Master's ship. She only removed her hand when they were inside the ship and told her to keep her eyes closed. Naturally, she obliged and let herself be immersed by Ahsoka's living Force, synchronizing hers to match her friend's. Barriss bit her lower lip in anticipation, her heartbeat increasing as Ahsoka put her hands to her hips, indicating her to sit on the controlling chair._

 _''Now,'' Ahsoka said and Barriss opened her eyes, revealing the interior of the ship completely redecorated; everything had been arranged according to the Mirialan culture. The viewports had been draped with black veils upon which diamond patterns were sewn and soft black and brown cushions had been scattered across the ship, whose floor had been draped with the finest Wrodian carpets. At the center of it was a table, upon which were two tea cups and a kettle resting on an elaborately patterned Saava silk doily. That must have cost her an arm and a leg, Barriss thought, slightly embarrassed at the prospect but pleased nonetheless. A blue astromech droid was pouring hot tea in one of the cups, eyeing Barriss with his photoreceptor. When he was done, he came towards Barriss and handed her the cup._

 _''Thank you,'' she told the droid, who beeped happily as he went on his way towards the ship's entrance door._

 _''His name is R2-D2 and he belongs to my Master,'' Ahsoka added with a hint of pride in her voice._

 _They had spent the entire day together on a intergalactic mission alongside their respective Masters and Senator Amidala, whose life had been once again critically endangered by Separatists organizations intent on discrediting her. Ahsoka had saved Barriss' life more than once that day and their mutual fondness for each other had been forever altered by the deep connection that had been forged because of those events, their friendship morphing into something more - Barriss couldn't quite put a word on it, but she knew that Ahsoka and she were more than friends. As much as Barriss felt that she was infringing upon the Jedi code, she didn't want to acknowledge that her relationship with her was akin to the greatest form of attachment, because it would mean losing her. And Barriss couldn't lose Ahsoka. Later that night, Barriss could feel Ahsoka's warm breath on her skin and her rough hands on her shoulders, tracing circles on them to soothe her._

 _''I want you to promise me something, Barriss,'' she said._

 _''Anything,'' she heard herself reply automatically._

 _''You and me - we'll always be together, no matter what.''_

 _''I promise,'' she'd said, looking Ahsoka in the eye as she squeezed her hands between hers._

''But right now, you're coming with me.''

''Where are we going, miss-''

''Offee. Barriss Offee.'' It had been such a long time since she had pronounced her own name that it felt foreign on her tongue. Like it didn't belong there.

XxXx

Leia Organa had been dueling with her Master all afternoon, focusing on the forms she found hardest to master. Despite being exhausted beyond belief, she had begged Ahsoka to continue sparing with her until her father returned to Aldeeran and summoned her in the throne room to discuss the fate of Onderon. Bail Organa valued her input as much as his counsellors' and never made a decision without consulting her first.

''We don't have to go on if you're too tired, Leia,'' Ahsoka pointed out for the upteenth time.

''I... have... to... do... this,'' she panted, baring her teeth as she parried Ahsoka's attack just in time before the Togruta sliced her in two. I am a Jedi and I won't let such a trivial thing as fatigue let me down.

She had specifically asked her Master to include her twin sabers to their practice session, and was quickly regretting her choice. She had to assume a more defensive stance if she wanted to win, since Ahsoka's strength lied in her ability to redirect her opponent's attacks efficiently, but defense was not her forte. Think, Leia. You need to find a way to get rid of one of those sabers. That's the only way you'll get out of this fight alive.

All of a sudden, she took several steps back, effectively confusing her Master, who she was sure had been expecting her to continue blocking off her attacks. She then leaped past her, not waiting for her to turn around as she charged, putting all her strength in that one blow. Come on, I know you can do it, she heard her father's voice whisper in the back of her head. Ahsoka was able to redirect her attack, but Leia noted that she was still surprised by her move and as such, her reflexes weren't as sharp and her own movements lacked their usual gracefulness.

Leia's next blow was even more deadly than the previous one and this time she only missed her target by less than an inch. We're getting there, she told herself. Sooner or later Ahsoka would tire out and her attacks would get more and more predictable with time.

But before the Togruta had the time to retaliate, the practice room's doors burst open and a tall man flanked by a female Twi'lek made his entrance, limping as he came towards Ahsoka. Both appeared to have returned from battle, sporting the same desolate expression on their sunken faces. Leia was familiar enough with wars that she instantly guessed that both had played an important part in one and had suffered great losses during their time spent on the battlefield.

The Twi'lek spoke first, eyeing her companion as she motioned for Ahsoka to come forward.

''We're here to deliver bad news on General Kenobi's behalf. We were hoping to meet with Bail, but we have been informed that he will not arrive until late tonight.''

''That's why we came to you,'' the man finished, wincing as the Twi'lek let go of his weight to greet Ahsoka properly.

''We know you and General Kenobi...ah... go way back,'' he hesitated.

''You could say that,''Ahsoka replied with a smile.

''Why don't we go discuss this matter in another room while my Padawan gets the rest she deserves?''

How dare these strangers not include me in their little meet up? Am I not old enough? Have I not proved my worth as a skilled politician? Father would have let me come if he were here, I'm sure of it. Leia was about to protest, when the Twi'lek piped up:

''Actually, we'd rather she came with us. What we're about to tell you is directly linked to Leia's well-being and safety.''

Ahsoka nodded gravely and turned towards her Padawan.

''Before we go on, though, I'd like my friends to introduce themselves.''

''I'm Kanan,'' the man pointed to his chest, ''and this is Hera, the best pilot you'll ever meet in the entire galaxy,'' he announced proudly while Hera's cheeks were turning pink at the compliment. ''We don't have much time, Ahsoka. That's why Kenobi sent us.''

''Alright then,'' she said. ''Follow me.''


	5. A New Beginning

They arrived at sundown, just an hour before the deadline.

The Gamorrean guards stacked before the entrance eyed them up and exchanged looks as Barriss came forward, her cape flapping in the wind.

Her hood was drawn to her face, hiding most of it under a veil-like thin fabric. Ever since her escape, she had been careful not to let anyone see her markings, for they were her primary identifier and could cost her her newfound freedom, something she valued more than her culture's ancestral traditions.

''State your business,'' one of them told her.

''We've been instructed to let no-one enter the place until-''

''I'm here to see Darth Vader,'' she said defiantly.

When they didn't budge, she sighed and took out her lightsaber, flicking it open before them in a threatening manner. They gasped and after a deliberation that lasted too long for Barriss' taste agreed to let her pass, though not without trying to put up a fight first. Luckily Barriss had more tricks up her sleeve than she let on, and knocked them both out in no time without even using her lightsaber. Alerted by the guards' cries for help, some back-ups emerged from within the palace and posted themselves before the entrance, blocking their way.

''You really want me to kick your butts, don't you,'' she mused as the Gamorreans prepared themselves to strike, drawing their clubs in sync and advancing towards Barriss in long strides. Before they could act, she kicked the first one as hard as she could in the stomach and punched the other one in the face, injuring his snout. The bigger one tried to retaliate, but she immobilized his weapon with the Force, challenging him with her piercing gaze.

You're no match for me, big guy.

Her punches were lethal and her moves too quick for the porcines to counter. Despite their efforts, Barriss anticipated each one of their attacks with ease and neutralized them in a matter of seconds, igniting her weapon as she passed by the ones lying on the floor, reminding them that she was in charge and that they'd better let her do what she wanted if they cared about their lives at all.

Despite all odds, they still refused to let the droid in, one of the remaining standing guards restraining him with his enormous hands. So this is how you want to play, huh? She took him by the collar and smeared his armor with the tip of her blade, urging him to release C-3PO from his grip.

''If I can come, the droid comes too.''

C-3PO expressed his gratitude as they walked past the guards towards the palace's main room, Barriss purposely bumping into them as they went. I'll have a word with Vader about that.

On her way to the throne room, she encountered a male Twi'lek standing in the middle of the corridor. His skin was abnormally pale and his bloodshot eyes that wandered lustfully over her small frame gave her the shivers.

''Follow me, miss Offee,'' he said, looking her right in the eye this time. ''Lord Vader awaits you''

Barriss had no choice but to obey and followed the man to what seemed to be a sort of dungeon located deep underground. She found that even without any direct source of light, her eyes could see perfectly through the dimness of the corridor, having been used to accustom themselves to worse conditions for so many years.

It was not uncommon that she be blindfolded when she was interrogated by her jailers and the worst interrogation sessions could go on for days on end, spent in a small isolation cell without viewports, starved until she could do nothing but beg for sustenance. She'd been there all too often and as a result knew how to orient herself in the dark using her other senses coupled with her ultimate ally - the Force.

She sensed Vader's presence rather than saw him: his Force signature alone was enough to let her know that he was real - and more angry than she'd ever seen him, though she admitted to never have witnessed the extent of his rage as a Sith lord. Surely his increased power would have quite the effect on his already rather quick temper.

''I can't see a thing in here,'' C-3PO lamented as he tagged along behind her.

''Quiet,'' she murmured rather harshly, motioning for C-3PO to wait behind her as she entered the dimly-lit room.

Vader was sitting in a chair, his back to her. His tall shadow was projected on the wall, and as he stood up to face her it disappeared behind him, stretching in a long figure that Barriss was barely able to identify.

''You sure took your time,'' Vader began. ''I was about to leave when you arrived.''

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, not wanting to give him that satisfaction. Can't he just get to the point already?

''I see you're impatient,'' he remarked as she unconsciously tapped her foot on the duracrete floor. ''As you wish. I won't hinder you much longer, Barriss.''

There was a certain irony behind his overly polite words and Barriss caught up on it as she was sure he had intended. Once again she felt the urge to roll her eyes and clenched her teeth. Hard.

''It has come to my attention that my son,'' Vader took a pause to let Barriss process the new information. ''has been captured by my... former Master, with the help of a certain Darth Maul if I recall correctly.''

''You have a son?'' she asked, bewildered. She had never known any Jedi who had offspring, but then again, she had never mixed with any Dark-side Force-user before. I bet you've never even met him. I bet you would have killed him if he hadn't been your kin. And even better, I bet he hates you more than anything for abandoning him. What a pathetic excuse for a father.

She wanted to shout at him, to let him know how painful it was to grow up without knowing one's parents, to grow up in an environment where it was taboo to mention them and where one was discouraged to ask questions about the very beings that brought them to existence. Life is unfair to the most gifted, Barriss thought bitterly. Such was the price to pay to possess the power of the Force.

''His name is Luke. Luke Skywalker.'' He took an inspiration through his mask. ''I want you to find him - and bring him to me.''

She nodded, quickly regaining her usual blank expression.

''As you wish, Lord Vader,'' she said, trying her best not to snort at the title. ''Do you have any idea where he might be?''

''Wherever Darth Maul is you shall find him also.'' He turned around to face the wall once again. ''Your task is simple. Find Skywalker and bring him to me. Unharmed. Any failure to accomplish the task at hand shall be met with death.'' At the end of his sentence, he turned around, this time looking Barriss in the eye and holding his gaze.

''Yes, Master,'' she heard herself reply, almost obediently.

''Good,'' he said simply. ''I have something for you.''

He picked something up from his belt and held it out before Barriss, who took it and hung it on her own, on the opposite side of Ventress' other saber. She caressed it with her gloved hand, sensing the flow of power tingling on her fingertips through the fabric.

The twin sabers were hers now and nothing could stop her from accomplishing the task Vader had bestowed upon her, not even her own desire for vengeance. She resolved herself to let the thought lay dormant for the time being, concentrating her forces on her new mission: rescue and recruit Anakin Skywalker's son from the most powerful Sith lord of all time.


End file.
